The Confrontation
by wickedozgirl
Summary: Girls find out everything, and Karen is no exception. What happens when you mix an upset Ivy and an equally upset Dev? Trouble when Karen finds out, that's for sure. *WARNING* Slight spoilers for S01E14 'Previews'. Mostly AU though. Oneshot.


**A/N: Just another quick Smash oneshot I wrote tonight! Starts out following the first scene of S01E14 'Previews', but quickly turns AU. I know Karen is a little out of character in some parts, but I figured she should be a bit of a bitch sometimes, she's too nice!**

**Please read and review! Waking up to some reviews will honestly make my day tomorrow! Enjoy!**

"I can't find my phone! Can you call Ivy? She was really drunk last night and she has no room to make mistakes after what happened in Heaven on Earth!" said Jessica exasperatedly.

Karen found Ivy's number and handed the phone to Jessica.

XXX

They were awakened by the insistent ringing of the phone. Dev leaned over the side of the bed, and seeing 'Karen' on the caller ID, pressed the 'answer' button.

"Hey," he said, slightly nervously. He had not thought that Karen would be calling him after the disastrous turn of events the night before, what with him proposing to her and then telling her that he almost slept with RJ.

"Uhh... Ivy?" came a voice from the other end of the line. It was distinctly female, but was definitely not Karen's voice.

"Umm... who's this?" he asked hesitantly. "Where's Karen?"

"Dev? Is that you? This is Jessica," the voice replied. "Karen's right next to me, I couldn't find my phone and needed to call Ivy, she should be here by now! Wait, why are you answering Ivy's phone?"

'Oh shit...' thought Dev to himself, as he tried to work out what to respond with. But he didn't need to respond, as Ivy did it for him.

"Dev? What are you doing? Come back to bed," she mumbled sleepily, but unfortunately, loud enough for Jessica to hear.

"Ivy? Dev, put me onto Ivy please!" said Jessica, trying to ignore Karen's confused expression next to her.

Dev shrugged his shoulders helplessly and passed Ivy, who was wrapped in sheets, the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ivy, what the hell are you doing? You need to be at the theatre _now_!" cried Jessica.

"Mmm okay, give me thirty minutes," Ivy sighed.

"You and I are going to have a very long chat tonight," replied Jessica before she hung up the phone.

She handed it back to Karen, looking troubled and slightly sheepish.

"Jessica, what was that?" asked Karen through gritted teeth.

She had to think quickly. "Oh, Ivy got really drunk last night, and Dev was at the same bar after your big fight, and they worked out who each other was, and then Ivy couldn't get home so Dev took her home and made sure she was safe. He's such a caring guy, Karen, you're so lucky to have him!" Jessica was torn. She wanted to protect Ivy, who she had known for years, but on the other hand she hated lying, especially to someone as sweet and honest as Karen.

Karen didn't look entirely convinced, but decided to let it go for the time being and concentrate on the upcoming rehearsal.

XXX

Derek dismissed the entire company at six o'clock that evening, and Karen grabbed Jessica before she could escape, dragging her to a quiet corner in the back of the theatre.

"Now, tell me the truth. What really happened?" she asked furiously. She had been stewing over it all day, and had steadily been getting angrier and more upset as the hours passed.

Jessica lowered her eyes guiltily, cowering under Karen's angry gaze. "I- I don't know exactly what happened. I made that story up this morning so that I wouldn't put you off your performance today and make Derek even more pissed off than he already is. But I won't lie to you anymore... It didn't sound good, Karen." She gave the taller girl a comforting hug and sympathetic smile before leaving her to her own devices.

XXX

Karen exited the theatre alone, deep in thought. She didn't notice the figure leaning against a tree outside until he fell into step beside her and called her name.

"Karen?"

She looked up, startled, into Dev's face, and tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks.

"Karen, what's wrong?" asked Dev, playing the part of the concerned boyfriend. The brunette stalked ahead determinedly. "Karen! Don't run away from me!"

She stopped in her tracks and angrily wheeled around to face him. "Dev, don't pull that crap with me. Just say it. Tell me what you did last night. I want to hear it from you."

"Babe, what are you talking about? I was in my hotel room!" replied Dev.

"I don't care _where_ you were. What were you doing? Or rather, _who_ were you doing?" Dev remained silent, and Karen stared him down. "It was Ivy, wasn't it?"

Dev still would not meet her eyes, trying to work out how to answer, until the sound of high heels on the pavement approached them. Karen looked over Dev's shoulder and sighed, then forcefully spun him round to face a familiar blonde, who stared at the feuding couple with uncertainty showing on her face. Karen would give her that much, Ivy was an excellent actress.

"Say it, Dev," she repeated. "You were having sex with Ivy last night, weren't you?"

Dev imperceptibly nodded, just a fraction of an inch, but it was enough. Both Karen and Ivy saw it, and both dropped their heads in defeat.

"Fine. You're both as manipulative as each other. You deserve each other!" she cried, pushing Dev towards Ivy.

"Karen, please!" pleaded Dev.

"Dev, drop it. After you told me about you and RJ last night, I went home and thought about it for ages. I was considering forgiving you and taking you back. But after this, I can't even look at you without wanting to throw up. Just leave, Dev. I'll pick my stuff up from the apartment when I get back to New York in a couple of weeks." Karen tried not to cry as her heart broke a little bit more. Dev nodded sadly and began walking in the direction of the hotel.

"Karen, wait!" called Ivy. Karen slowly turned around to face the girl who she thought she was on the way to becoming friends with.

"I have nothing to say to you, Ivy. I thought we had some kind of friendship happening, but obviously not. What kind of person sleeps with their friend's boyfriend? I wish Derek had never brought you back, you only cause trouble." A hurt look crossed Ivy's face, and Karen continued her rant. "So Derek didn't want you. You're not his perfect little star anymore, he's moved onto bigger and better things. Big deal, get over it! Most people would just cry it out and move on. But not you, Ivy! _You_ decide to drink yourself into oblivion and then shack up with your cast mate's boyfriend."

Karen stared at Ivy and watched in satisfaction as tears slowly began to roll down Ivy's pale cheeks.

"I- I just came to apologise, Karen," said Ivy softly. "I know what I did was wrong, and you're right, being upset over Derek is no excuse, and neither is being drunk. I know you probably won't ever forgive me, but I do want you to know how sorry I am." She hesitated momentarily, before continuing on, beginning to cry more. "I'll quit the show. I know you won't want me around anymore, and you deserve to be in this show more than I do."

Karen was about to walk away, but something stopped her. "No, Ivy. You're right, I probably won't forgive you completely for this. But the fact that you're apologising sincerely does mean something, and I wouldn't want you to quit the show. You have too much talent. You should be Marilyn. That part is yours, Ivy. I won't pretend that I don't want the part either, but if either of us should have it, you should. You've worked for ten years to get to this point, I don't want you to throw that away. Please stay. You never know, we might be able to work through all this."

Ivy couldn't believe that Karen was saying these nice things to her after she'd just slept with her boyfriend. She nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself to speak, and gently touched Karen's arm in a gesture of thanks before walking away, tears still rolling down her face.

**A/N: I may have cried while writing Ivy and Karen's conversation at the end. I love Ivy/Megan too much to see her sad! Like no joke, I cry every time Megan cries on screen (which is fairly often)!**

**Remember those reviews please!**


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